SOMEWHERE Byron Scott is smiling, probably a sinister grin of satisfaction as he watched the Nets’ 100-83 meltdown against the Lakers last night at Meadowlands Arena.

These were the Nets who got Scott fired: unemotional, indecisive and utterly intimidated. You would have never known the Nets had won 15 of their previous 16 games by the way they folded against Shaquille O’Neal and his Lakers. But when reminded the Nets have now lost four of their last five against Western Conference teams, you get a better idea of why they looked like a second-rate team from a second-rate conference.

The Nets tried to soothe their wounds by insisting it was one of those rare bad games when an off-shooting night combines with a sterling effort from the opposition to result in disaster. “You might have one of these nights against Atlanta and lose by 15,” Nets forward Richard Jefferson reasoned. Somehow, it felt more damaging than that. This could well be the night the Nets’ run as title contenders came to an end. Getting blasted by the Lakers from start to finish was telling.

The Nets still have no answer for Shaq, who dominated the game, scoring 19 points that all seemed to come on rim-shaking dunks. His 14 rebounds doubled the seven each by Jefferson and Kenyon Martin, while Kobe Bryant had almost as many assists (10) as points (11).

What’s scary is the Nets’ strategy as devised by coach Lawrence Frank was to smother Shaq and Kobe and let someone else beat them. Lakers-lite did just that, getting 16 points from Gary Payton and 42 points from the bench. “We had to make a statement,” Payton said. “They’re one of the best teams in the East, but when we’re healthy, we’re a strong basketball team.”

Making matters worse was the news Jason Kidd would undergo an MRI today to check the severity of his bruised left knee. Kidd tried to play through the pain, but after shooting 4-of-11 and committing four turnovers, he called it a night after 28 minutes, which was about 20 minutes longer than his teammates battled.

“We’ll see what the pictures say,” Kidd said.

The picture the Nets showed us yesterday might be labeled overexposed. Two straight years, they’ve reached the NBA Finals, where they were swept by the Lakers in 2002 and lost in six to the Spurs last year. Right now, there’s little reason to think things will be different should the Nets reach the 2004 Finals.

Over their last 20 games, they are 15-5, with four of the losses coming against the Mavericks, Spurs, Timberwolves and Lakers. The only Western Conference team they’ve beaten in that span is the Rockets, currently the seventh best team in the West.

“Everybody knows the Western Conference is better than the Eastern Conference,” Kidd said before clarifying, “that was tongue in check for those who don’t know me.”

If Kidd was only kidding, it’s because the truth hurts. Getting to the Finals in 2002 was a welcome novelty; winning two games before losing last year was viewed as a step forward. Going back and getting beat again would be cruel and usual punishment.

Perhaps a West Coast trip through Denver, Phoenix and Golden State before a rematch with the Lakers at Staples Center will offer some redemption. But right now, the only one feeling good about all this is Byron Scott.